John Chan / California brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) roosting on a mudflat, with a flock of Elegant terns (Thalasseus elegans) nearby, Southern California, USA May/2019

Claudio Contreras / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) fishing, Cabo Pulmo National Park, Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California), Mexico, July

Juan Carlos Munoz / Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) and Brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) on small island, Isla Contoy National Park, Quintana Roo, Yuccatan Penninsula, Mexico

Winfried Wisniewski / Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) landing, San Diego, California

Gerrit Vyn / Flock of oiled Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) on a beach behind an oil covered containment boom. This nesting colony is the largest in Louisiana and was heavily contaminated by the BP Deepwat...

Tim Fitzharris / American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos), North America

Tom Vezo / Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) flying, California

LYNN M. STONE / American white pelican wintering in Florida USA {Pelecanus erythrorhynchos}

Lynn M Stone / American white pelican, beak open {Pelecanus erythrorhynchos} USA.

Rolf Nussbaumer / American white pelican landing on water {Pelecanus erythrorhynchos} Texas, USA

Tom Vezo / American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) landing in water, Everglades National Park, Florida

Jim Brandenburg / American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) stretching its wings on a misty lake, North America

Norbert Wu / Big-mouth Gulper (Eurypharynx pelecanoides) deep sea species with hinged mouth swings wide open to accommodate large prey, San Diego, California

Tim Fitzharris / Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) flock taking flight from a rocky shoreline, Isla Isabel, Nayarit, Mexico

LYNN M. STONE / American white pelicans, Florida USA

LYNN M. STONE / American white & Brown pelican P. occidentalis}, Florida, USA

LYNN M. STONE / American white pelican on water, Florida, USA

John Downer / Brown pelicans and fishing trawler. San Lucas, Mexico.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis). La Jolla, San Diego, California, USA. February.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)in flight over coast. La Jolla, San Diego, California, USA. February.

John Chan / California brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) preening, with Double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) roosting nearby, Southern California, USA, June.

John Chan / Flock of California brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) and Double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) taking off, Southern California, USA, June.

John Chan / American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) feeding at twilight, Southern California, USA.

John Chan / California brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) stretching their gular pouches and preening, resting near to a flock of Elegant terns (Thalasseus elegans), Southern California, USA, Ma...

John Chan / California brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) roosting on a mudflat, with a flock of Elegant terns (Thalasseus elegans) nearby, Southern California, USA May/2019

John Chan / California brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) roosting on a mudflat, with a flock of Elegant terns (Thalasseus elegans) nearby, Southern California, USA May/2019

John Chan / California brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) roosting on a mudflat, with a flock of Elegant terns (Thalasseus elegans) nearby, Southern California, USA May/2019

John Chan / California brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) roosting on a mudflat, with a flock of Elegant terns (Thalasseus elegans) nearby, Southern California, USA May/2019

Marie Read / Avian feeding frenzy with a flock of White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) swimming along a channel chasing school of fish. A mixed flock of long-legged waders, including Great Egrets (Ardea alba...

Marie Read / White pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge with an approaching storm in May, Utah, USA, May.

Suzi Eszterhas / Isabel Luevano, Rehabilitation Technician, and volunteer, examining Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) that is suffering from malnutrition International Bird Rescue, Fairfield, California, USA, M...

John Chan / Breeding colony of Elegant terns (Sterna elegans) gathered on a sandbar, Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, California, USA, March.

Claudio Contreras / Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) and Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus), Guerrero Negro, El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, Baja California, Mexico, March

Claudio Contreras / Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) fishing, Magdalena Bay, Baja California, Mexico, February

Claudio Contreras / Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) and Western Gull (Larus occidentalis) fishing, Magdalena Bay, Baja California, Mexico, February

Claudio Contreras / Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) fishing, Magdalena Bay, Baja California, Mexico, February

Ashley Cooper / American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) at Lake Success near Porterville, Bakersfield which is at 7% capacity during severe drought, California, USA, October 2014.

Alan Murphy/ BIA / Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) plunge-diving, multiple exposures, Texas

Alan Murphy/ BIA / Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) plunge-diving,multiple exposures, Texas

Alan Murphy/ BIA / Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) flying, Texas

Lynn M. Stone / American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) swimming along lakeshore, Lakeland, Florida, USA. December.

Lynn M. Stone / American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) swimming along lakeshore, Lakeland, Florida, USA. December.

Lynn M. Stone / Eastern brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis carolensis) sub-adult in dive, Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA.

Lynn M. Stone / Eastern brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis carolensis) sub-adult diving, Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA.

Lynn M. Stone / American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) at base of Bald Cypress trees along lakeshore, Lakeland, Florida, USA.

Doc White / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) feeding underwater, Eastern Pacific Ocean, Bahia Magdalena, Baja California, Mexico

Doc White / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) group on the shore, Eastern Pacific Ocean, Bahia Magdalena, Baja California, Mexico

Doc White / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) group on surface of the water, Eastern Pacific Ocean, Bahia Magdalena, Baja California, Mexico

Doc White / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) on water, Eastern Pacific Ocean, Bahia Magdalena, Baja California, Mexico

Doc White / Brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) on surface of the water, Eastern Pacific Ocean, Bahia Magdalena, Baja California, Mexico

Doc White / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) feeding underwater, Eastern Pacific Ocean, Bahia Magdalena, Baja California, Mexico

Doc White / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) feeding underwater, Eastern Pacific Ocean, Bahia Magdalena, Baja California, Mexico

Doc White / Brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) feeding underwater, Eastern Pacific Ocean, Bahia Magdalena, Baja California, Mexico

Doc White / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) feeding underwater, Eastern Pacific Ocean, Bahia Magdalena, Baja California, Mexico

Doc White / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) feeding underwater, Eastern Pacific Ocean, Bahia Magdalena, Baja California, Mexico

Doc White / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) feeding underwater, Eastern Pacific Ocean, Bahia Magdalena, Baja California, Mexico

Lynn M. Stone / American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) on northward mid-April migration from south Florida, Pinellas County, Florida, USA. April. Non-ex.

Lynn M. Stone / American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) on northward mid-April migration from south Florida, Florida, USA, April.

Connor Stefanison / American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) flying over marsh near breeding ground, Stum Lake, British Columbia, Canada. June.

Jan Wegener/ BIA / Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) landing, Florida

Michel Roggo / Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) at waters edge, Laguna Yal Ku, Quintana Roo, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. February. Photographed for The Freshwater Project

Sylvain Cordier / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) with Laughing gull (Larus atricilla), trying to steal fish, Los Roques, Venezuela

Gerrit Vyn / Adult Brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) perched on boat, waiting for fisherman to return with their catch in a small harbor. Yucatan, Mexico. February.

Gerrit Vyn / Adult Brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) perched on boat, waiting for fisherman to return with their catch in a small harbor. Yucatan, Mexico. February.

Steve Gettle / American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) flying, North Dakota

Mark Carwardine / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) oiled bird being rescued for cleaning during Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Louisiana, Gulf of Mexico, USA, August 2010

Roger Powell / American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) large flock group feeding by encircling fish trapped by the falling tide, Cedar Key, Levy County, Florida, USA, April

Roger Powell / American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) large flock group feeding by encircling fish trapped by the falling tide, Cedar Key, Levy County, Florida, USA, April

Jim Brandenburg / American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) group preening, Minnesota

Gerrit Vyn / Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) in flight. Yucatan, Mexico, February

Juan Carlos Munoz / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) group on coast, La Jolla, San Diego, California, USA. February.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) in flight, La Jolla, San Diego, California, USA.

Suzi Eszterhas / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) Monterey Bay, California, USA, March.

George Sanker / American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) group preening whilst Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) takes off, Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island, Florida, USA.

Jim Brandenburg / Sunset over lake, Pelican Lake, Florida

Franco Banfi / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) Loreto, Sea of Cortez, Baja California, Mexico, East Pacific Ocean.

Gerrit Vyn / Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) covered in oil and very ill, standing on the beach after colony was oiled by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. Raccoon Island, Terrebonne...

Gerrit Vyn / Flock of American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) foraging in a wetland during fall migration. Malheur County, Oregon, USA. September.

Suzi Eszterhas / Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) group flying, Monterey Bay, California

Suzi Eszterhas / Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) trio, Monterey Bay, California

Suzi Eszterhas / Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) flying, Monterey Bay, California

Suzi Eszterhas / Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) flying, Monterey Bay, California

Ernie Janes / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) landing on Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) Gulf Coast, Florida, USA, March

Ernie Janes / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) in flight after catching fish, Gulf Coast, Florida, USA, March.

Ernie Janes / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) portrait, Gulf Coast, Florida, USA, March.

Ernie Janes / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) preening on post, Gulf Coast, Florida, USA, MArch.

Ernie Janes / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) in flight, Gulf Coast, Florida, USA, March.

Ernie Janes / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) coming into land on post with Laughing gull (Larus atricilla), Gulf Coast, Florida, USA, March.

Ernie Janes / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) in flight, Gulf Coast, Florida. USA, March.

Ernie Janes / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) landing on Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) Gulf Coast, Florida, USA, March.

Ernie Janes / Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) two on post, Gulf Coast, Florida, USA, March.

Gerrit Vyn / Brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) diving for fish in coastal shallows of a barrier island. Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, USA. October.

Gerrit Vyn / Brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) in flight. Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, USA. October.

Gerrit Vyn / Brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) and Great egrets (Ardea alba) roosting on mangroves in a Barataria Bay nesting colony. This colony was heavily oiled by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil leak. Plaq...

Roland Seitre / Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis), Florida

Roland Seitre / American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) group flying, Canada